The present invention relates to a medicine packing apparatus, and particularly to a medicine packing apparatus that can properly distribute and transfer medicine package belts based on the configuration of the medicine package belt.
Conventionally, there has been a medicine packing apparatus that feeds medicine in accordance with prescription data, and then separates and packs the medicine by one dose to form a series of medicine doses packaged in a belt. There have also been well known a reel apparatus for reeling the formed medicine package belt and a binding apparatus for binding the reeled medicine package belts.
Recently, different kinds of medicine package belts according to the use thereof have been required. For example, in the case of dosage for an outpatient, it has been desired to provide long medicine package belts in which medicine doses are packed in series in order of dose. On the other hand, in the case of dosage for an inpatient, short medicine package belts cut by one-day dosage (for example, 3 packages of medicine for taking after breakfast, lunch and supper) have been provided. There are also blank package belts in each of which no medicine is packed. The long and short medicine package belts are bound by separate binding apparatuses respectively, while the blank package belts are discarded.
However, the conventional apparatuses have no construction for distributing the medicine package belts based on the configuration thereof. Therefore, the aforementioned reel apparatus and the binding apparatus have been separately positioned from the medicine packing apparatus so that the long medicine package belts are reeled and bound only when providing them to the outpatients. When providing the medicine package belts to inpatients, the pharmacist or other provider needs to conduct work by cutting the medicine package belts and binding them by a rubber band or the like. Even when the short medicine package belts cut by one-day dosage are requested by the outpatient, the work for cutting the medicine package belts is necessary. In addition, in the conventional medicine packing apparatus, transfer mechanisms adapted to the configuration of the medicine package belts are necessary, resulting in complexity of construction.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medicine packing apparatus that can properly distribute and transfer different configurations of medicine package belts based on use thereof.
As a first means to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a medicine packing apparatus which feeds medicine in accordance with prescription data, and then separates and packs the medicine by one dose to form a series of medicine doses packaged in belts. The apparatus comprises a discriminating means for discriminating (determining) a supply configuration of the medicine package belt to be formed in accordance with prescription data; and a distributing means for distributing (controlling) a conveying direction of the medicine package belt based on the discriminating result of the discriminating means.
According to this construction, the type of medicine package belt can be automatically discriminated to distribute the medicine package belt. Then, a proper process in compliance with the type of medicine package belt can be conducted.
In this case, it is preferable that the apparatus further comprises a reel member for reeling the long medicine package belt, and a guide member for guiding and collecting the short medicine package belts. When a long medicine package belt is discriminated by the discriminating means, the distributing means distributes the long medicine package belt toward the reel member, while when a short medicine package belt is discriminated by the discriminating means, the distributing means distributes the short medicine package belt toward the guide member.
It is preferable that the guide member can be changed in the guide position thereof in accordance with the length of the short medicine package belt to be distributed.
It is preferable that when a blank package belt is discriminated by the discriminating means, the distributing means distributes the blank package belt toward a discharge position. Thus, it is possible to attempt further automatization.
As a second means to solve the problems, the present invention provides a medicine packing apparatus which feeds medicine in accordance with prescription data, and then separates and packs the medicine by one dose to form a series of medicine doses packaged in a belt. The apparatus comprises a discriminating means for discriminating (determining) a supply configuration of the medicine package belt to be formed in accordance with prescription data; a gripping means having a first arm and a second arm, an open angle between the arms being changeable in accordance with the supply configuration discriminated by the discriminating means; and a moving means for moving the medicine package belt gripped by the gripping means to a binding position.
According to this construction, it is possible to operate the gripping means so as to properly grip the medicine package belt in accordance with the supply configuration.
It is preferable that when a long medicine package belt to be supplied in a reeled condition is discriminated by the discriminating means, the gripping means changes the open angle between the arms to a maximum angle and moves toward the long medicine package belt of reeled condition to grip it. When a short medicine package belt to be supplied in a collected condition is discriminated by the discriminating means, the gripping means changes the open angle between the arms to a normal angle and waits for the short medicine package belt to be supplied at a supply position. Thus, the gripping means opens and closes the arms and collects the short medicine package belts to grip it.
It is also preferable that one of the arms of the gripping means has a press surface and that the moving means turns the gripping means so that the press portion presses the medicine package belt bound in the binding position to discharge it. Thus, the discharge of the bound medicine package belts can be conducted without needing another additional member.